Patience is a Virtue
by Mosquito
Summary: Follows Comatose in the For Better and For Worse series. Willow is in a coma undergoing training, while Spike is forced to wait. Something he isn't very good at.


Title:

Series: For Better and For Worse

Title: Patience is a Virtue

Author: Mosquito

Date: 19-07-07

Disclaimer: All of the characters besides for Casey and Ronan belong to Joss Weadon and the people at FOX.

Category: romance, angst

Rating: Pg 13

Summery: Spike's actions while Willow is in a coma. This follows Comatose and is part 11 in the series.

Note: "I've got you under my skin" by Frank Sinatra, "Fly Right" as sung by Robbie Williams, "When September ends" by Green Day, and "I Heaven there is no beer" by

Dedication: This story is dedicated, to all those who lost people and therefore themselves. I hope you had people to help you get through things as I have.

"_What do you mean, I wait?"_

"_Exactly what I said Snugglepuss. There's nothing you van do right now- especially turn her. Something's about to happen, and without Willow we'll all be doomed."_

Spike thought back to Lorne's words. Yet, a month had passed and still nothing had happened. No longer allowed to stay in the hospital, Spike was forced to leave after the first week. Now, sticking to the visiting hours, he turned back to work in order to keep from feeling his loss.

He became easily irritated and grouchy. He yelled and drank too much. He'd become impossible to live with and Casey feared him. She refused to be home unless Ronan was there, and on more than one occasion had decided to stay with friends.

Spike didn't notice any of this, though. His happiest moments were while he was asleep and dreamed of his red-head being by his side. However, when daylight ended and he woke, his heart would rip once again with unbearable loss and he wold be back to his inconsiderate self. He just missed Willow that much.

Walking into the long-term patients ward he immediately headed for Willow's room. Opening the door, he smiled when he saw his Red laying there. Most of the wiring was gone, but she still had an IV in her arm and a tube of oxygen running past her nose.

"'Lo, luv. How's everything today? You look as beautiful as ever." Standing next to her he bent down and kissed her on the forehead. "Work was awful. Angel's got the Prince's party this week and I'm hoping that it doesn't get bollocks-ed up. I need something good to happen at the moment.

"Giles still doesn't know what the big nasty is, but he won't stop looking.

"I really miss you here with me, luv. I miss holding you, kissing you, loving you, waking up next to you, or the sheets smelling like you when you've gone to class." He sighed. "I'm not good at being patient," he took her hand and raised it to his lips, "but I'm trying." He kissed it. Then placing it against his cheek he tried to imagine it being there under it's own power. Eventually he placed it down on the bed and merely held it- their finger's entwined. "I hope you had a good time with Kiara yesterday, before she left. She told me she'd come back sometime when her mummy was well and that she'd bring Coble for you to get to know. Bloody hell, can you imagine me living in the same house as that wanker? I'd rather be re-ensouled like my poncy sire than suffer living with **that** sod. He's so boring and serious and- he's sodding boring, that's what he is! Before I know it he'll be telling Kiara to stop keeping in touch with me because he disapproves of my method of feeding. Bloody Ponce. If he thinks he's going to be welcome in my house, he's got another thing coming.

"Anyway, enough about Coble. What would you like to hear tonight? I didn't really listen to anything in particular, so we're going to have to pick it on our own. Any requests? How about a little Frankie? You know, I was listening to that on-line radio you set up for me, luv, and they star playing one of Frankie's songs, but it wasn't his voice, so I look at what's playing and it's this bloke: Robbie Williams. Did a good job of it too, which was not what I had expected. How many people can even level with Frankie?" Spike knew exactly what Willow's reaction would be and said: "Yes, luv, I know you think that I'm the best, but luv, truly, who's better than Sinatra? This young pup came close. Anyway, how about a round of 'I've Got You Under My Skin?' I know it's your favourite."

_I've got you under my skin_

_I've got you deep in the heart of me_

_So deep my heart that you're really a part of me_

_I've got you under my skin_

_I tried so not to give in_

_I said to myself this affair never will go so well_

_Bu twhy should I try to resist when baby I know so well_

_I've got you under my skin_

_I've sacrificed anything come what might for the sake of having you near_

_Inspite of a warning voice that comes in the night_

_And repeats, repeats in my ear_

_Don't you know little fool you never can win_

_Use your mentality_

_Wake up to reality_

_But each time that I do _

_Just the thought of you makes me stop before I begin_

'_Cause I've got you under my skin_

Spike dad a da-ing the instrumental section between the verses.

_I would sacrifice anything come what might for the sake of having you near_

_In spite of a warning voice that comes in the night_

_And repeats, how it yells in my ear_

_Don't you know little fool you never can win_

_Why not use your mentality_

_Step up, wake up to reality_

_But each time I do_

_Just the thought of you makes me stop before I begin_

'_Cause I've got you under my skin_

_Yes I've got you under my skin_

"What about this one?"

_The Buzzard took the monkey for a ride in the air_

_The monkey thought that everything was on the square_

_The buzzard tried to throw the monkey off his back_

_The monkey held on tight and said: "Now listen Jack"_

_Straighten up and fly right_

_Straighten up and stay tight_

_Straighten up and fly right_

_Cool down papa don't you blow your top._

_Buzzard told the money: "You are choking me."_

_Release your hold and I will set you free_

_The monkey looked the buzzard right dead in the eye_

_He said: "Your story's so touching but it sounds like a lie."_

_Straighten up and stay right_

_Straighten up and stay tight_

_Straighten up and fly right_

_Cool down daddy don't you blow your top._

_Fly right._

"I hadn't liked that one too much until I heard that Robbie Bloke sing it. Cole told me he's a hell of and entertainer too, maybe we'll go to ome of his converts when you're feeling better, Red." He sighed and looked at the clock. "I have to head out soon, luv." He stood up and leaned over to give her a kiss. "Come back to me darling. Wake up please."

Willow cried at Spike's words. How she wished that she could. Wiping her tears she took a deep breath.

"Willow?" she turned to the voice behind her.

"Yes Roddick?"

"Let's get back to our lessons. The faster you learn, the faster you can go back." He moved towards her and said, "now that you can make things teleport things I want you to try to bring forth an image from your imagination. I want you to think of something you know very well. An object. Concentrate on what it looks like, what it's made out of and how it feels- it's exact texture. Good. Now I want you to hold out your hand, open you eyes and imagine that it's right in front of you, on your palm."

Willow opened her eyes and within moment she conjured the picture frame she'd been thinking of. She smiled as she looked at the picture of Buffy, Xander, and herself. How she missed those days.

"Very good, Willow. Now try and touch it."

Willow brought up her other hand, but her fingers went right through the object. Perplexed she looked up at Roddick and waited for an explanation.

"That's because it's just an image. A mirage, if you will. When you do this later, when you're awake, you'll need to concentrate harder to give it form. Moving on, now that you've learned to conjure things up, you'll need to earn how to send things away. The trick is to know where you're sending it to. If it something you took from somewhere simply think of the location and concentrate on sending it back. However, if it was an object you made up you'll need a spell to uncreate it. Watch." Bringing his hand up flat, he closed his eyes and when he opened them a small dancing girl materialized. "Now, I could send it somewhere, but for this exercise I'll uncreate it. Then without lifting his eyes from the ballerina, he said: "From thought you were sprung, from ideas your existence begun, return from whence you came, to nothingness I claim. So mote it be." With a smile he looked up at her. "You give it a try."

"Okay." Willow pictured something abstract in her mind. She wanted something that was so simple and plain it could be thought of quickly. Seconds later she held a stick figure in her hand. Roddick laughed and then told her to uncreate it. Then at the same speed it had appeared, it was gone.

"Very nice, Willow, you're coming along nicely. Just a couple more days, I promise you. Then you can go home. Now we're going to move on to releasing and taking energy."

Willow sighed, closed her eyes and listened. Just a few more days and she could go back to Spike. She wanted to hold him and be held- to feel him make love to her. Pushing him out of her mind, she turned to her guide. "Sorry, I missed that, could you repeat that again?"

"What?"

"All of it. I wasn't paying attention."

Roddick released a burst of air.

"How come I can't do this at night, while I'm asleep?" Willow asked for what she thought might have been the millionth time.

"Because it takes a lot of effort and you'll be too exhausted from the day to continue your magic studies. Just a couple more days, Willow, and I promise you can go back, okay?"

"Okay. Let's do this."

His patience was wearing thin. One more thing and he might well snap. First his car hadn't wanted to start, which meant that he'd ad to wait until dark in order to go to work, so he'd paced the house looking for something to do. At four-thirty Casey had come home. Spike had accidentally blown up at her when she'd tried to make small-talk, which had reduced her to tears and caused her to lock herself in her room. Feeling bad, Spike had tried to coax her out. When he'd finally realized that the door was open, he'd walked in to find an empty room and an open window. Luckily the sun hadn't been direct, because otherwise he'd have been perfect for an urn. Realising that Casey had left, Spike released a furious roar. He'd stood there trying to coax out someone who wasn't even there and felt stupid for being so weak towards the mortal.

When the sun had finally gone down and Spike could go to work, he'd found fault with everything and everyone: The barmen, the bouncer, Cole- no one was left unscathed. It wasn't until he'd attempted to try and yell at Anya and Faith that the two stopped him in his tracks to put him in his place.

"Well, if you feel that we're doing such a bad job, you can have them back. Don't think Cole will do them either, because he's a fang away from quitting himself." Faith said. "Dude, you have got to lighten up. At the rate you're going, you're gonna have an anurism or something."

"Vampires don't have anurisms, Faith," Anya said.

"Well, you know whatever."

"Anyway, that isn't the point Spike." Anya continued.

"What is the soddin' point? Get to it something this bloody century." He growled back.

"First of all, you're going to live forever, and secondly, what about Willow?"

"What about her?" His voice got even curter.

"What do you think she'd say if she'd saw you like this? Do you think she'd be pleased?"

"Well, she's not here, is she?" He was about to leave the room, but Anya's voice stopped him. "What about when she wakes up?"

"Who said she's going to?" His voice was hurt, sad and angry all that the same time. Without turning to look at them he'd left with his bookkeeper and buyer in his wake.

In his office he'd found Cole using the phone. "Out." He said, hanging up on the person Cole was talking to. Then he sat in the chair which Cole had vacated when scurrying from the room.

With a sigh, Spike closed his eyes. Taking a deep breath he reached for the low right hand drawer and brought out a bottle of Jack Daniels. Unscrewing the cup he brought the bottle to his lips and took a large mouthful. Then reaching for the mouse of his computer he clicked on the Greenday song he had been listening to the day before and then on repeat 1.

With the opening notes he sat back in his chair, closed his eyes and took another swig from the bottle.

_Summer has come to pass_

_The innocent will never last_

_Wake me up when September ends_

_Like my father's come to pass_

_Seven years has gone so fast_

_Wake me up when September ends_

When there was a knock on the door he thought about just not answering but finally just yelled. "What?!"

There was a pause when the door opened and then he heard the deep voice of his sire. "If this is how you answer the door, then I really think that discipline is in order.

"Do what you want, Angelus."

"I want to know why I've gotten eleven phone calls telling me that you've become a right grumpy mean aggravating degrading bastard. Care to comment?"

"Piss off."

"Well, I would, but I came all this way and I will punish to get my answer."

"Sod off."

"We're deinately going to have to work on your communication skills." Then before Spike realised it Angel pulled out a small pistol and shot him. Looking over at his shoulder he saw the tranquilizer dart sticking out of him.

"Wha-" He tried to speak as he noticed his sight blur. Then everything went black. He didn't even notice his head hitting the desk.

Spike woke up groggy and sporting a headache. He tried to lift his hands though and realised that he was handcuffed to the celing. Bloody hell. he though. As his eyes adjusted to the room he notived that he was in the mansion. Seeing the library around him gave him some hope that he would come out of this alive- well undead.

"I see you're awake, William." Spike's eyes shot to the door, where he saw Angel standing.

"Let me down, you sod." Spike said in an angry whisper.

"Hmm. Let's see… no. Obviously you've lost your way, so I'm here to see that you find it again."

"Shut your gob, Angelus. I'm not one of your stupid, witless victims that you're about to-" His eyes came wide ralising what was on the verge of happening.

"-Torture?" Angel smirked and slipping into his Irish accent added "Ah, me boy, we're going to have fun."

Spike's eyes followed Angel's movements across the room. Then he heard the sound of wheels as his grandsire pulled a cart with appliances.

"Don't worry." Angel said. "You'll feel much better when I'm through with you."

Through the pain, Spike managed to let go of his anger. He realised just how much he'd been carrying.

After what seemed like forever Angel stopped and let him down, placing him on a bed. "Try and sleep Spike. I'll have some blood for when you wake, in the meantime…." Angel crawled in next to Spike and bit into his wrist. When the blood began to flow he kept it above Spike's mouth in order to allow Spike to suckle. Minutes later he took it back.

"Thank you, Angel." Spike said.

"You're welcome, Spike. Sleep now." Angel said, but Spike had already nodded off."

"Okay, so I consentrate and say what?" Willow asked. They'd been working on transfiguration for the last couple of hours and she'd come to the point of transfiguring herself.

"Rasamorphas."

"Isn't that what I had to say to transfigure someone else?"

"No, that's Rasamorphos. Hear the difference? Good, now try it."

Willow closed her eyes and consentrated on what she was supposed to be. "Rasamorphas." She said with conviction as soon as she had the perfect picture in her mind. She opened her eyes to see Roddick smile. She looked down at her hands and saw that they were thick like those of a man.

Roddick produced a mirror from somewhere and she looked in and saw Xander looking back at her. She laughed at the sight, and then realising she still had her own voice, found it even funnier. "Spike would find this hilarious." She noted.

"Now Willow," Roddick began once she'd changed herself back, "Never change yourself or anyone else into an animal. You may not be able to change yourself back. In some cases you can with the power of your mate but that is usually only when you change someone else into an animal. There is such thing as an animalis. You transfigure into an animal, but each person has their own. It takes years of study and dedication to reach such levels. Also, inanimate objects that you turn into people or animals will still be inanimate. Do you understand?"

"Yup."

"Good, now we can work on partial transfiguration, for example invisibility or clothing. For invisibility I advise that you be very cautious. If you're in this state too long you may have a hard time turning yourself back to being seen. Now, to become invisible, you say Rasamorphas, but when you're concentrating you imagine yourself becoming completely invisible. Once you're completely gone you say the word. As for clothing you imagine yourself wearing something and then you say Rasamorphos. I realise that you're doing something to yourself, but your clothes are a different entity to your body, therefore the –os."

They spent some time on these two options and then Willow's mentor allowed to rest for a while.

"Can I see Spike?" She asked.

"Not now." The all-knowing Roddick said. "How about Xander?"

Willow looked at him oddly but agreed. Closing her eyes, she felt Roddick put his hand on her head and instantly she saw Xander in her mind.

"He was in his bedroom looking at photos on his bed. In his hands he held two of them: One of Jesse and the second of the two of them with Buffy. Both pictures felt as if they'd been taken a life time ago. She watched as he placed the two photos down and picked up a third. Willow smiled when she saw this particular picture. Were it anymore outside of her circle of friends and family, it would have looked ridiculous.

In it, there were two chairs, one was empty and the other had Xander sitting in it, with Anya on his lap. Casey sat on an arm of Xander's chair with her hand on her stomach and her head tilted at an odd angle. Willow sat hovering in the empty vhair looking up and what seemed to be nothing that was behind and to the right of her. Giles stood to her left with a hand resting on air.

The picture had been taken in London during Christmas by Olivia, who was now Giles' wife. Willow had another copy at home hanging under a redrawing by Angel, which included the three vampires: Spike with Willow on his lap, Angel standing behind them to the right, and Ronan with his arms around Casey. The drawing was phenomenal, but even so, anyone who had the picture automatically knew who was where.

Xander sighed and Willow saw him hold out another picture: The two of them at school playing in the sandbox.

"Oh, Willow, I hope you're okay. Come back soon. Especially before Spike goes crazy. I miss you."

Tears streamed down her eyes and the image of Xander left her as Roddick's hand did. She looked up at her teacher, "I can go soon, right?"

"Absolutely. Come on, I have a couple more things to show you. Then you can go."

"Okay." She said pulling strength together. "What now?"

"Now we move on to big magicks."

Willow's eyes popped open. "You mean?"

"Yes. I need you to stop time."

Spike looked over at the clock on the nightstand. 16:42- it was still light outside and he hadn't gotten a decent amount of sleep. His dreams were plagued by his redhead. Over and over in his mind a scene played out that he'd never even witnessed: Willow's car accident. Every time it replayed, he was frozen, unable to help.

With a sigh of defeat Spike decided that he should probably get out of bed. He wouldn't get any sleep anyway. Everything around him reminded him of her.

"Oh, Willow, I wish you were home." He said to the empty room. Pulling the pillow out from under him he put it to his face hoping to smell Willow, but the fragrance was no longer discernable.

Slowly he got himself up and sat at the edge of the bed. He rubbed his face in an attempt to wake his body up. It was while turning to stretch his head that Willow's _Book of Shadows_ caught his eye. Spike reached over for it and opened it. He breezed through it until he came upon a morning prayer that Willow normally recited. Tracing his fingers over the words he familiarized himself with the words and then began to speak them aloud.

_O gracious Goddess_

_O gracious God_

_Lend me health, strength and love_

_During this day_

_Assist me with the challenges a head_

_Share your divine wisdom_

_Teach me to respect all things_

_Remind me that the greatest power of all is love_

_Blessed be_

On some sort of level, Spike knew his prayer had been heard and with a breath of calmness he got up to start his day.

Every evening started that way. It wasn't until he got to the club though that things began going south. In the beginning it was all the looks of pity. After a while everyone began to get on his nerves. Things weren't happening fast enough and Spike was getting tired and restless. If it wasn't for Willow, he'd have gone back to his other club in England in a heartbeat. He couldn't leave with her like that, though.

Willow had been in a coma for ever two months now, and Spike was starting to lose hope.

Just as he stepped out of the shower though, the phone rang.

"'Lo?"

"Mr. Wilthrope? This is Nurst Karen. I wanted to tell you that Miss Rosenberg just woke up asking for you."

He was stunned. His mouth moved but sound proved ineffective.

"Mr. Withrope? Can you hear me?"

"Yes." A breathy soft voice answered.

"Miss Rosenberg is asking for you."

He shaped out of his daze. "I'll be right there. Tell her, I'm coming."

"Yes, sir."

Spike hung up the phone and grabbed his clothes. He had barely put on his shoes and he was in the car heading to the hospital.

The sun having just set, shielded him as he ran into the hospital. Running past the reception he pushed the elevator button. The wait proved to be too long and in a flash he was climbing the staircase. Skipping steps he came to the floor and on a dead run made his way to Willow's room.

The door was side open and quietly stepping in, Spike saw a groggy Willow. He went to sit next to her and held her hand.

"Spike?"

"Right here, luv." His voice anxious.

"I missed you, Spike."

"Oh, luv, I missed you too."

"I'm gonna go back to sleep, okay?"

Spike was tempted to tell her not to, scared that he'd lose her again, but knowing that it was a foolish thought told her to go right ahead. "We'll go home soon."

"Stay with me?" her voice was small.

"Always, Willow, Always."

When she'd fallen asleep, Spike reached over to the phone on the nightstand and called Ronan.

"Yeah?" Ronan, who was still asleep answered.

"It's me." Willow's awake. I need you to do a couple things for me. First of all, call the club and tell them I wont be in for a couple of days. I need you to get the house ready for her and ask Casey to pack some things for her."

"No problem, Spike." Ronan said and the two of them hung up.

Spike sat back in his chair and looked at Willow: her even breathing giving him cause to smile. He placed his hand on her stomach and watched it go up and down.

"Thank you," he whispered under her breath. "Thank you for giving her back to me."

Willow smiled as she was pushed out the hospital in the required wheelchair.

"So, Wills, happy to be sprung loose?" Xander asked her as he pushed her to the car.

"You have no idea. I missed you guys so much. I'm glad it's over for now."

"For now? This guy Roddick's gonna take you again?"

"He'll be teaching me while I sleep from now on."

"Why? What is all this for?"

"There's an apocalypse coming, Xan.:

"Yeah, well when isn't there?"

"This one is the end. We either win or we all lose. That's the kind of apocalypse. It isn't going to be enough to have a slayer and three vampires. We're going to need more."

"How much more?"

"I don't know."

Xander helped get her in the car and them moved to slip into the driver's seat. "So, what are your plans for the next coming weeks?" Xander said once they were driving.

"I need to go back to England as soon as possible. I've missed about a week's worth of class. I'll need to catch up with what I've missed."

Xander kept quiet. "When will you leave?"

"I a week or so. We'll see how I'm fairing. So, you'll have to spend lots of time with me, okay?"

"You bet!" Xander looked over with a smile. At least we'll be able to celebrate my birthday together."

"I completely forgot. You'll be nineteen this-" Willow wasn't that sure.

"Friday."

"That's only too days away! You're finally catching up with the rest of us."

"Catching up? Wills, you're the only one I can catch up to. Casey's a year younger, Cordelia in't 19 till next month, Ronan is 36, Spike is 129, Angel is about 230 and Anya is more than 1000 years old."

"Yeah, you like your women mature." She giggled, "almost mummified."

"Hey! I thought that we weren't going to bring that up anymore."

"I'm sorry Xan," She said in a baby-voice, "I couldn't help myself."

"Yeah, sure." He said with a smirk and pulled into the driveway of her house. She looked at it and for what seemed like the first time she realised that the house had become a home. While growing up the house had been a symbol of loneliness and when Ronan had moved in that had become less so. Yet, it wasn't until Spike and Casey had come that it had become more than a halfway house to her- somewhere she could rest her head for the night.

The door opened and Casey ran out. She came over to Willow's side of the car and helped her out. "You have no idea how happy I am to see you, Willow! I'm so glad you're back. Spike's scaring the daylights out of me. Oh, Wills I missed you so much."

Willow hugged her cousin and then with her and Xander's help started walking towards the house. Just as she opened the door, she saw Anya and Ronan waiting. She gave them a hug and moved in to find Spike, but he wasn't there. A little disappointed she silently questioned Ronan who smiled and said that he'd be back soon.

At that moment Willow heard Spike through the bond. '_Don't worry luv. I'm in the house, just give me a moment.'_

_'Okay.'_ She replied, her thoughts lifted, and then sitting down on the couch she turned to everyone.

"Happy to be home Wills?" Ronan asked.

"You have no idea, Ro."

"Well, you probably can't imagine how glad you're about," Anya said, "Spike was driving us all mad. He almost got everyone at the club to quit."

Willow's eyes went wide. "Really?"

"Yeah. He was in a really dark place. If it wasn't for Angel-" Xander said, but sheepishly trailed off. He wasn't sure if Willow was supposed to know.

"Angel was here?" She asked surprised.

"He left the day before you woke." Ronan explained the Vampire's absence.

Willow nodded. "What did he do?"

No one said anything. They all looked about as if telling would be highly improper.

"Oh, the rest of you make no sense." Anya said and then proceeded to tell Willow what Spike's Grandsire had done.

Willow was horrified. It discusted her to think that Angel would do those things to Spike. No wonder he was limping when she first saw him. He had probably been still healing from what the older vampire had done. Anger fuelled through her.

'_Luv, you okay?'_

_'We've got to talk Spike.'_

_'Why, what's wrong?'_

_'Anya just told me about Angel.'_

All of a suddon she heard Spike come down the stairs. "Anya!" He shouted, his voice carrying anger and hatred.

Xander quickly stood up. "Um, Willow, I think we're gonna go. Ill see you tomorrow." He grabbed his girlfriend's hand and rushed them out the door before Spike could get there.

When he did come he seemed on the verge of murdering someone. "Where is that soddin' Demon Girl. I'm going to kill her.

"No." Willow said. "I'm glad she told me."

"What?!" Spike blew up "Well it wasn't for her to tell was it? If I wanted you to know I would tell you myself."

"But you didn't, did you? And you weren't going to either, right?" She accused him.

He looked away and she knew that she was right.

Willow looked over to the couch Ronan and Casey had been sitting. They had no doubt left as soon as the fighting started. She sighed and looked at Spike who had an aura of defeat around him as he looked down at the floor. "Spike, I'm too tired to fight. Will you help me to the bedroom please?"

"Course, luv." Spike said, then leaning over her, picked her up in her arms and carried her up the stairs. Normally she would have argued that she could walk by herself, but leaving the hospital and arguing with Spike had taken it's toll on her. She probably couldn't have walked if she wanted to. Closing her eyes she leaned back against him and took a deep breath. A smell purely Spike came back to her. She felt Spike place her on the bed and pull back.

"Stay." She said.

"Alright." She felt him lay down behind her and put his arms around her allowing her to snuggle herself into his arms.

"Were you really not going to tell me?"

"I would have eventually?"

She nodded and fell asleep.

Spike walked around the cave. Where the heck was he, he thought, and why dream about this. A little further up he saw something red. The closer her got he saw that it was Willow.

She tuned around and saw him, a smile lighting her face. "Spike!"

"Red." He smiled back.

"I want you to meet Roddick." She said and stepped aside to let Spike greet him.

"'Lo mate."

"Vampire, you are the entrusted mate of this witch?"

"I am."

"I see that you have not claimed her to be so, though."

"That's between me and Red. What's it to you?"

"I am her guide. If she is to fight the evil that is to come, I must help her. She has gone as far as possible on her own now, though."

"What now, Roddick?" Willow wondered.

"You must learn to take energy from your mate, but we cannot go further until you have mated. Until them we must wait."

Spike looked over at Willow who seemed to be thinking on it. "The reason I do not wish to mate with Willow yet is that she looks too young. I thought perhaps in a year or two, when she'll have an easier time getting around with her looks. It would be easier to move around society that way."

"It would be, however, as she will not be aging anymore that case is no longer relevant."

"I- I w-wont age anymore?" He heard Willow's shaky voice.

"No. You are no longer mortal, therefore you have stopped aging."

Spike sighed. This was nothing he could have predicted and yet he felt claustrophobic all of a sudden. Do you realise how difficult it will be for her because she looks underage?"

"If her looks are all you are concerned with, it can be easily altered. I taught you how to make a glamour, so that you look like someone else. You can also glamour yourself to look older."

Spike watched Willow.

"But with the glamours I had to create the image in my mind in order to cast it, but I don't know what I'll look like in the future."

"Yes, this works a little differently." Roddick answered. "First you concentrate on a year, then on the change of years, like a calendar. Imagine months flowing by and say 'meveille.' He preformed it himself and changed automatically into an old man. His voice had changed a little too, and his hair had quickly grown to an abnormal length.

"Because I'm doing this in your dreamscape I can remove the glamour. However, you need to be careful in real life. This glamour is not removable. Once you change yourself you can't go back."

Wilow nodded in understanding. "Well there's nothing we can do until you mate. We'll meet a week after the ceremony."

"Okay." Spike saw Willow turn to him and ask: "can we also have a wiccan ceremony?"

"Sure." Spike said. All his plans had been turned topsy turvey, though and he felt himself begin to panic. It wasn't that he didn't want to mate with Willow, it was just that it was supposed to happen on his time-line and rushing felt a little too forceful for him. It was as if his head was pleading both sides at once. The one, rational as always stated that he was going to mate with her anyway and whether it was now or in five years didn't matte, seemed to be winning slightly over the other, which argued that mating with her would be finality in the 'lone-wolf' lifestyle he had lived. Even though he had been with Dru for over a century, she'd always needed him, fuelling his alpha-male instincts. Willow was however more his equal, or growing to be. She'd have equal power over him as he had over her.

After moments of bickering back and forth the rational part won out. With a feeling of clarity came ease and peace knowing that he truly wanted this and nothing would stop him from having it.

"There is nothing more to do. I will contact you when the mating ritual has been preformed." Roddick said. Then with a wave of his hand the scenery changes and found them in what Spike realized was Venice. They spent the rest of their sleep with Spike taking Willow in a gondola to see the sights.

The next morning Willow began her research into the vampire mating ritual, however, by the end of the day, she was no closer to finding an answer to the problem than when she had started. It seemed that there were hundreds of mating rituals for demons. Vampires didn't just have one, they had hundreds. Of these hundreds there were forty pertaining to mating with mortal beings, twenty of those were for humans.

Frustration won over, and Willow must have sent her frustration through the link because Spike soon walked in asking what was wrong.

Explaining her problem she asked Spike to take a look at what she'd found.

Spike glanced at the computer ad then pulled a chair next to her. "Luv, you probably don't know this, but there are multiple types of vampires."

"Actually, I did. Angel told me that there were, not what the different kinds were, but that there were multiple types. I assumed though, that he meat that there were clans."

"It's a little more complicated than that."

"You mean you don't all go poof?"

"No, only Angel goes poof," he said with a smirk, "but no, not all vampires turn to dust."

"How come I've never heard of this?" Willow asked. Her brain was starting to compute the information ad began forming questions by the second. "What are the different types? Are they all dangerous? How come we don't run into the different kinds? What kid are you?"

"Luv, luv, stop. Let me continue. First of all, I don't know how many there are- I'm not even sure anyone does- but this is what I do know: I'm part of what is called The Changelings. We're changed from mortal humans to immortals, able to die with wood piercing the heart, decapitation, fire, sunlight and holy water. We drink blood and are allergic to garlic. Within the changelings there are multiple clans. The oldest are the . They originated in Eastern Europe, they're Dracula's line."

"You mean that he really exists?"

"Unfortunately. I've never met the git myself, but Angelus found him dull and condescending.

"Anyway, then you get the Arelius line, after which you have the Ubermensch- the Germans that are as ugly as hell, because they can't change back to their human faces, and lastly there is the L'Etoile. They're located mostly in French speaking regions."

"And these four groups make up the changelings?"

"Yup. Then you get the Luminious. The Luminious are a group of Vampires that seem to have evolved differently so that they can walk in the light. They're a select group and rarely ever take or create a changeling. They bare their offspring."

"They go through pregnancy?"

"They're fertile."

"Wow."

'Yeah. They also live under strict laws and have their own governing body, failure to comply with the laws results I death. From what I understand, they have bodyguards to dispatch such individuals. They die the same way we do, for the most part. The reason that you've never heard of them is because they're no threat to humans. Their laws prohibit killing. If they kill, they're killed ad the deaths are blamed on us."

"How do they feed then?"

"They've been bagging it for centuries.

"Oh."

Spike sat back in his chair and continued. "There are a few families, but I don't know or remember what they're called."

"What else is there?"

"The Daywalkers. You'd never know them. They even eat food to generate blood. I don't even recognize them. If they get attacked by a changeling, they die, but revive after a certain amount of time.

Spike scrunched up his face in thought. "I know of a type that originated from malaysia that look like crocodiles during the day and change at night. The Australians have a type that only eats fruit and Japan has a strange group of women that drink souls from people to rejuvenate themselves. They live indefinitely, reliant on a constant consumption of human souls.

"Lastly of the ones I know of, there are the Eldars. They're food and flesh eaters. They feed off the flesh of a certain species, taking over that body until it can't sustain it anymore. They're true immortal. They can't die, and they don't procreate. The ones that are around have been there since the beginning of time. They've mostly become hermits, but every now and then they come out into the open." Spike paused, "imagine a vampire unable to change and with light blue skin. That's what they look like at the moment, but Angelus once told me that they change color every century or so, depending on the conditions of the atmosphere."

"Are there anymore?"

"Not that I can rememeber."

"Okay," Willow said letting everything soak in. "Okay, what does that mean for us?"

"This means that we have to call Angel to find out what he knows about how the Arelius line mates." He said leaning over and pushing the speakerphone followed by the speed dial number to his grandsire.

On the second ring Angel picked up. "Childe, this had better be good!"

"Hi Angel." Willow greeted.

Spike choked trying not to laugh as his sire began apologizing profusely in an effort to bring the edge off what he had said.

"Actually, Spike's here. We needed to talk to you." Willow said.

"'Ello Sire.'

"Spike, I swear, next time I see you, you better be able to run. Really fast."

"Sorry mate, but Red and me got a problem that we thought you might solve for us. See, Red here's agreed to be my mate and we need to know what the mating ceremony of the clan Arelius is."

The line went dead.

"He hung-up on us!" Willow said shocked.

Spike looked at the phone as if it had grown limbs. He picked up the phone, dialed the number and placed it to his ear. On the second ring Angel picked up again.

"I swear Spike that you just prank-called me. I know you're deranged, but that you managed to pull Willow in with you- Willow mating with you- did you actually think I'd fall for that? She's got more sense than that."

"Than what?!" Spike asked angrily.

"Than to bond herself to a demon such as you."

"You know what? Sod off peaches. I shouldn't have called. We'll find the information elsewhere. Ronan probably knows anyway." Slamming down the phone he mumbled, "Prank call, bollocks. Wanker." When he looked up he noticed Willow's curious look. "No help, luv. No worries, though. We'll find out. Okay?"

"Okay." He noticed that she sounded down.

Restless he stood up and said, "How about we go to the club? If we leave now, we'll be there in time to get you something for dinner before the kitchen closes."

"Okay."

Spike held out his hand to her and pulled her up for a kiss. "I love you, Willow. We'll figure it out, even if I have to skin peaches in order for him to tell me."

Heading out the door the phone began to ring. Spike felt Willow turn back, but pulled her with him. "Let it ring." He said. "Peaches can just go fuck himself for all I care."

Two hours later, after having eaten, Willow and Spike sat down at their booth relaxing over Spike's beer and Willow's coke. Cradled under his arm, she smiled as the 11 o'clock mix came to an end. Her favorite time was midnight, when the Irish hour came up. She watched as Cole walked onto the stage.

"The clock's struck midnight, my good friends, and you know what that means: The drinking songs come out of the closet and the only thing on tap comes from Ireland. Today we celebrate a special occasion. I'm pleased to be able to give you the joyous news. Our dearly beloved Red has agreed to bond with Spike!"

Willow turned red as the crowd went wild. Having Cole announce it meant that they would have everyone coming by to thank them. She'd never get rid of the feeling that she got regarding the pubic eye their relationship had.

"In their honor, we're gonna play Willow's favorite song and then Spike's at the end of the hour. You know where the happy couple are, but they rather be left alone tonight. This is their night. Thanks folks."

Willow let out a sigh of relief as the music started up and Cole left his place on stage. "Thanks Spike." She said softly. "Wasn't me, luv. Your champion here is Cole."

"I'll be sure to thank him then." Then burrowing herself closer to him, she sighed contently and sang along in her mind (Where her voice was much better) to each of the songs that hour. Finally the final number of the evening came and she and Spike belted the words out.

_In heaven there is no beer_

_That's why we drink it here_

_And when we're gone from here_

_Our friends will be drinking all the beer!_

Their problems could wait till tomorrow. Until then she'd enjoy everything around her and being with Spike.

END


End file.
